Daily Archives: November 4, 2007

You are browsing the site archives by date.

Alice Proujansky

In 2006 New York photographer Alice Proujansky went to the Dominican Republic to document the lives born and the lives lost in a dismally-funded maternity ward. Here are some of the affecting images she captured on film.

See this movie

Autism: The Musical

It’s a documentary about a woman in California who starts a performance art company for autistic children. The kids are incredible–they’re superstars–and as much as you feel sorry for the parents who have to give up their former lives for their high maintenance children, you’re also sort of jealous that they get to co-habitate with such cool little people.  The kids have to overcome so many behavioral and neurological obstacles just to be seen. It’s a really moving, funny, and fascinating piece of work.

The film reminded me a little of How’s Your News?, a1999 documentary directed by the writer Arthur Bradford. It’s about a mentally challenged news team that drives across the country, interviewing strangers.

I love humans sometimes. We’re all pretty great in our own way.  God bless those who catch us being great on film.

By the way if someone wants to shoot a movie about my daily struggle to stop devouring leftover Halloween candy, please write. I only ask that you make me endearing and sympathetic to the end viewer. I will also need my own trailer and a wardrobe consultant.

God cavities

If you go trick or treating in Lovingston, Virginia, you can expect to see:

1) historic houses with haunted front yards bombed with synthetic spiderwebs;

2) goth teenagers in extra-wide, circa 1996 skateboard pants;

3) a piglet in a tiger cub costume (and some other people);

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

4) a coven of six-year-old Disney princesses holding hands, clotheslining other children on their way to the candy;

5) preternaturally smiley and generous people handing out neon glow sticks and Ziplock bags stuffed full of Sweet Tarts, Whoppers, and Sprees. They were positioned on both sides of the Lovingston main street, doling out their goods not from a front porch, but from giant garbage bags on the sidewalk. “Those people are awesome,” I said. “They gave me my own glow bracelet. It’s pink.” “Seems suspicious,” said Darren. Then I reached into my candy sack and found a religious pamphlet published by Billy Graham and company. On the cover were cute cartoon kids dressed in Halloween costumes. They were walking up a shining path lit by pumpkins with trick or treat bags in their hands. At the end of the path was a gold mansion where God lived. Apparently God gives out the best candy.